Pivot Point Calculator

What are pivot points?

Pivot points are horizontal price levels that traders use to identify potential support and resistance. They are calculated from the previous period's high, low, and close, which makes them completely objective — every trader looking at the same data sees the same levels. That shared visibility is part of what gives them power: when many traders watch the same level, price often reacts there. Pivot points are especially popular with day traders on gold and forex because they provide a ready-made map of levels for the session ahead.

How to read the levels

The central pivot (PP) is the primary reference. When price trades above it, sentiment is generally bullish; below it, bearish. The resistance levels (R1, R2, R3) above and support levels (S1, S2, S3) below mark where price may stall or reverse. Traders commonly look for bounces or rejections at these levels, or for breakouts through them. For example, a move up to R1 that stalls and reverses is a classic short setup; a decisive break above R1 suggests a push toward R2.

Standard vs Fibonacci pivots

This calculator offers two popular methods. Standard (Classic) pivots use simple arithmetic and are the most widely followed. Fibonacci pivots apply Fibonacci ratios (38.2%, 61.8%, 100%) to the previous range when placing the support and resistance levels, which some traders prefer because they blend pivot logic with Fibonacci's natural retracement levels. Neither is "better" — many traders simply pick one and stay consistent. To go deeper on Fibonacci itself, try our Fibonacci calculator.

Using pivots with the rest of your analysis

Pivot points work best as one layer of confluence, not a standalone system. A pivot level that lines up with a moving average, a round number, or a signal from our gold dashboard is far more reliable than a pivot alone. Combine them with the eight factors in our confluence simulator, and always protect every trade with a stop and correct position sizing.